Years: 

1906–1988

Year Hutchinson Medal awarded:

1978

Originally from New York, Krasberg was educated at the University of Illinois and later took over his family business, which produced a wide range of machinery, including phonograph motors, kitchen appliances, and gardening equipment. Gardening was a lifelong passion after he began planting roses in 1937; today the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Krasberg Rose Garden, completed in 1985, features more than 5,000 show-stopping roses and remains a beloved location at the Garden.

Key contributions to horticulture and gardening:

• Active member of the Chicago Horticultural Society starting in the early 1950s
• Served as president of the Chicago Flower and Garden Show Corporation and national president of the Men’s Garden Clubs of America
• Spearheaded the creation of the Krasberg Rose Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden, completed in 1985